People Leave People

You have a natural propensity for work. There’s something in you that wants to be productive, contribute and make a difference.

It’s embedded in your DNA.

Work however has evolved to value productivity over humanity.

So the old adage goes, people don’t leave companies, people leave people.

When the work environment no longer becomes bearable, it chips away at your very soul – because as much as you’d like to believe you’re a machine that can accomplish anything, the reality is, you’re not, you’re human.

You can’t take the humanity out of your work and expect things to be ok.

Sure you may meet your targets and tick off a few KPI’s – but what good is it if you lose yourself in the process.

What good is it, if you lose your most talented because you’ve essentially destroyed their spirit.

You weren’t created to be a machine – so don’t pretend to be one.

I’m not advocating for slacking off or taking the easy road. It’s the struggles that build resilience.

I believe in hard work, in giving everything you’ve got.

In not shying away from your responsibilities and in putting in the effort.

But I also believe in understanding your limitations.

In listening to those parts of your self that call for something more – that part of you that says "all my efforts are not in vain".

Life is not a transaction - it was not intended to be the business of buying and selling people’s souls.

Robbing individuals of their humanity.

Maybe it’s not always the case that people don’t leave companies, they only leave people – but there is evidence to suggest that at least in good organisations, people do in fact leave managers (or people), rather than the job or organisation itself.

Sure, work is important.

The ability to earn and provide is important.

But what shall it profit a man, if he gains the whole world, yet suffers the loss of his soul.